 Poster: A snowHead
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We have booked for Xmas and are so excited! 
Our accommodation is Les Cimes Blanches and I am wondering where exactly this is positioned in relation to the slopes/lifts. We have 2 young children with us so hoping we might be able to ski in/out on easy slopes. Does anyone know?
Also wondering if there are any discounts available for the lift passes? I know at Ste Foy you could get quite a discount with the offer on the back on the BSM Super U receipt!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Clarrylove, Tripadvisor reviews seem to indicate it's pretty much ski in-ski out or at the worst very close to ski school
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Cimes Blanches is not ski-in-out but it is close to the lifts at Les Eucherts, go to www.larosiere.net for full details of discounted lift passes, there is a very good deal for ski-famille and if your kids are less than 5 yrs old their passes are free for La Rosiere, there are 2 free lifts on the nursery slopes at Les Eucherts.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Thank you. One of our son's is under 5 so that is good.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Book your lift passes online before 30/11 and get 10% discount nd it will be delivered to your home in uk
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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It is a few years since our stay in these apartments. However from what I remember we walked out of our apartment door up a few steps and then we were on the piste. Coming back you could ski almost to the door (down a narrow path from the piste). The piste down to the lift is very easy. Our three year old managed it after a few days. If you walk to the lift it is a good 10 mins walk in boots. Some of the buildings are slightly further from the piste but overall the apartments are very well located. The Les Eucharts area (where Cimes Blanches is located) is ideal for young children. There is a nice pizza restaurant, creperie, small bowling alley and small ice rink. If you book ESF lessons there is a lessons plus lunch option which we used meaning we had time to ski over to la thuile and back some days. I'm sure you will have a fantastic time.
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You can take a virtual tour of Les Eucherts, courtesy of the Tourist Office http://www.enimages.net/visites/savoie/la-rosiere/hiver/village/visite.html?pano=visite0.xml
If you find the walk too far and have a car with you there is parking at the bottom of the lifts. We parked easily every day last Xmas. The better skiers amongst us could ski back to where we stayed, La Refuge, in Les Eucherts, and there was only a very short walk to the lifts. However most days those up first drove the car to the lifts complete with ski boots and skis etc and the rest of us used it as a base. walked from the chalet in comfy snow boots then changed. One of us then drove it back at the end of the day.
The little supermarket is also adjacent to that car park so its handy to shop and pop the stuff in the car as you finish skiing. Having said that we stocked up at the Supermarkets in Bourg, at the turn off up to La Rosiere, where there is much more choice.
Have a great time!
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Wow! Thaks very much for the info both of you! That is great.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Just another question if I may, I see there are 2 types of lift passes - one for La Rosiere and one for Espace San Bernardo. I have been looking at the piste maps and it looks quite a lengthy hoof to ski into san Bernardo from Les Eucherts (actually I have no idea how you would do it!). Bearing in mind we will have a 4 yr old (can do Greens and easy Blues) and a 7 yr old (can do easy Reds) how likely is it we would get across into the Espace San Bernardo? Am wondering if just the La Ros ski passes will meet our needs.....
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Clarrylove - It would be too hard for your 4 year old to ski beyond the La Rosiere area. However assuming your children will be in morning ski school I would definitely recommend getting the Espace San Bernando pass for yourselves. You would have time to ski over to the area known as San Bernando (between la rosiere and la thuile) within the 2 1/2 hour ski school lesson time. As I mentioned above there is an ESF club plus lunch option in Les Eucharts. If you booked both children into that you would have time to ski not just the San Bernando bit but la Thuile as well. I think you would find just skiing La Rosiere a bit limited if you are intermediate or above. However check what age the ski lessons plus lunch club goes up to as it may only be for 6 and unders.
ESF is the most convenient option in Les Eucharts but if they don't offer lessons plus lunch for over 6s you could email Evolution 2 and see what they currently offer. When we booked they offered a minibus service from Cimes Blanches to their lesson meeting point in the main village but we chose ESF in the end.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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The issue with La Thuile is the very long drag lift to get there. It's easy and flat, just VERY long (to get to it you have to get up to the Fort, which interestingly enough you can see from Bourg St Maurice, easy couple of chairs I seem to remember). The drag lift makes it petty much a no-no for boarders, I imagine they would find it a dreadful link. Other than that, it's easy to get to and there's good skiing over in La Thuile (personally, I think the skiing is better on that side than La Ros).
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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If you are staying more than 3 days then it is cheaper to get the full area pass
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Really depends on your level of skiing and how much you like exploring new territory. We bought rather ad hoc passes last year, some for half days some for a couple of days. It proved a good call as the links over into La Thuile were closed some days. The San Barnadino passes were therefore only purchased towards end of the holiday and on days the links were open. We also intended to ski elsewhere one day, meeting up with friends, but that particular day was very snowy and no one fancied the drive!
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You know it makes sense.
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I think that might be the best way to do it CaravanSkier. We plan on skiing en famille as I don't think my youngest will be happy going into ski school. It is over Christmas and I don't want to put too much pressure on ourselves, we want to chill out a bit as well. 
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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There is also a free drag lift at Les Eucherts which we used for our beginner for the first couple of days last year.
When our boys were small we often took days off from skiing and would go to a swimming pool, to an ice rink, for a sleigh ride etc We aimed for a family holiday in the snowy mountains, with skiing!
We only ever used ski school one year for them and it was a complete disaster. Their health and well being was not taken seriously and my youngest escaped and they did not even notice! However I accept we may have been unlucky and it was some years back. From that time on we always skied together and frankly ours seemed to progress and become much better skiers much faster than those of our friends who used ski schools.
Now they are in their 20`s and one newly married and they still love being on ski holidays with us! Must have got something right!
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Poster: A snowHead
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Aw, that's lovely CaravanSkier! That's exactly what I am aiming for. Not really up to throwing myself off mountains these days just looking for fun in the snow and hopefully build up the boys' confidence too. I think Ski School would put the youngest off for life!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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My memory of Les Eucherts was that there wasn't much in the way of true ski in ski out but a path from the main home run kind of cut through the middle of the majority of the accomadation. I'd agree with jamesgurney, The best skiing is over in La Thuile and looooooong button lift is well documented. I have hilarious memories of this, as my 6'2 15 stone mate somehow got lifted clean off his feet by the poma and went flying through the air! 
I have fond memories of skiing in LR, as it was one of my earliest ski trips-perhaps it was my lack of ability but I seems to remember having to pole allot, one run Chucas? If you lost momentum you were done for, remember quite allot of button lifts but this was 5 years ago so maybe better now? I think the run to get down from the fort to the drag to get to LT was possiby a red, not too difficult but conditions dependant.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Clarrylove, You know your children best and each to their own, but I think you are very wise to avoid ski school if you have any doubts about your child enjoying it.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Clarrylove, you can extend your pass on a daily basis, and from memory if the weather is poor (too much snow etc) the link to La Thuile is sometimes closed. I'd take a view when you get there. If you can wangle a full day skiing, maybe you can team up with other parents and babysit in turns - it is very nice to ski to Italy because the food there is so much better for lunch!
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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The drag lift makes it petty much a no-no for boarders
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Don't be ridiculous.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Cimes Blanches is ski in/ski out.
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Yep, ski resort on the border with France
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I went to La Rosiere last year staying at Chalet Montperron with Green Rides. Martyn and Alysha were the best hosts imaginable. This year we're back, staying with Mountain Heaven in Les Eucherts.
The slopes on the La Rosiere side are great fun, though not too challenging. The main run down from Roches Noire (the life out of La Rosiere) starts with a steep section, but after that it's plain sailing. The best run on the French side is Fontaine Froid - some fantastic twisty sections through the trees and a very fast run in to an excellent log cabin and teepee selling good beer and lovely well-deserved coffee.
The run to Italy is stormingly good fun. The black runs are avoidable past a certain point and we made it there last year with a 4-year old, but had to take our time. If they're not comfortable skiing fairly steep stuff then keep them in France. But as someone above said, make time to go over to La Thuile for the more varied runs through the trees, the cheaper food (BIG bowls of pasta and plentiful wine) and the fun of skiing across international borders.
In La Rosiere there are a few bars and restaurants - we often met up at McKinley's at the end of a day. Le Petit Danois (I'm sure that was its name) is a decent spot for a beer in the evening too.
I thoroughly enjoyed La Rosiere and am beside myself with excitement about arriving there in a week and a half....
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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does this take anyone else back to early SH days?
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You lucky things - I have to wait another month to go back to La Roz.
The whole place is very good for a young family.
I believe Danois has shut and will be called something else this year but the resort is great for you all with great scenery as surrounded by the high peaks of the Tarentaise.
If your kids are comfortable on blues most of the skiing is in reach as the reds are not steep in La Rosiere or La Thuile and have steepish sections rather than constant gradient. The piste classification is fairly kind - and overstates difficulty, one steep pitch in Fontaine Froide is harder work but that is a great red where you can look up and view your massive vertical descent. They could do with a good dump atm and as La Roz is predominantly south facing there could be some ice about early on but after mid morning it should all be lovely.
The blacks through the trees to La Thuile are steep however but you can go to Italy and stay above the trees and find a good Italian lunch.
I think the major worry for your kids will be the length of the drag between the two resorts....it is long and flat and partly downhill - if they can hang on all the way then there is bags of good skiing for the family. I don't remember it being cruel in how much it pulled on take off.
Last time I went there was 2012 with my then twelve year old youngest and loved it - this time I will be taking the 19 year old eldest daughter at the expense of a boys trip before she flies the nest for Uni.
They may have a family pass discount which could be good value, if the youngest has has to be paid for yet.
Hope you have a lovely trip.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Skied Ros (too) many times... The "long drag"that has been mentioned is actually 2 to go all the way to the top of Thuile.
So instead. take the Fort chair, red (bouquetin) to first drag and hop off at the top. Chuck a left into the area known as Col du Petit Saint Bernard - nice rolling reds/blues and a couple of nice short blacks. And an excellent hot chocolate stop.Easy blues back and imho the best views in the resort. Out of Ros but not as far as La Thuile if you're pushed for time and usually quieter.
La Ros - the Marmite resort...
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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helenjane, nah. LDA is the marmite resort.
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I agree LDA certainly is: i don't get what people see about that resort, worst Ive been to.
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You know it makes sense.
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We are considering a trip to La Rosiere and wondered if it is easy to get to St. Foy for a day trip if the off piste conditions are safe (avoiding taxis if possible). Can anyone advise?
Thanks.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Poster: A snowHead
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Thanks all. We survived! A real mixed bag of weather. We didn't get to ski at all on Boxing Day and only one run on Xmas Day as the conditions were just too nasty.
Les Cimes Blanches was stunning though. We fell on our feet there.
We did like the resort but I really can't see how it got its child friendly status. The beginners slopes were tricky to get to with very violent drag lifts. Impossible for young children really. 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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FAQ
La Rosière - the 
Conditions really aren't the best so far this year so far....